Friday, May 31, 2019

Letter to our Friends - May 31, 2019

Dear Friends, all around the world:

Greetings again from Owensboro, Kentucky.

We continue to stay busy working on preaching and serving people around the world, as well as getting the news out about Jesus Christ, His atoning sacrifice for all, and the news of the New Covenant, its promises, and our great High Priest – Jesus Christ, along with the fantastic Good News about the soon-coming Kingdom of God!

Prophecy Series Articles

We have three wonderful and enlightening articles titled The Prophecy Series.


There's a historic relationship between Europe and the Roman Catholic Church. A relationship that has shaped the Western World. Europe today faces a seventh resurrection of the "Holy" Roman Empire! Events are taking place that will radically change this world!

To properly understand today's news and the grave events which lie just ahead, we must understand a basic outline of world history and future events. This three-part series will help you understand what God's living Word - the Bible - truly says is emerging soon on the world scene. A new "Roman Empire" - the final empire!

Pentecost: June 9, 2019

Pentecost will soon be here! June 9th this year.

We will be meeting this year at the Logsdon Community Center 2400 Friendship Dr. Owensboro, Kentucky, USA, 42303. If you are not a regular attendee in Owensboro and wish to come, please contact Michael C. Garrett for particulars. His email address is garrett158@roadrunner.com.

A Festival Tithe

Concerning saving for God’s feasts -

God states in Deuteronomy 14:22-27:

“’ You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. 23) And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. 24) But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the LORD your God has blessed you, 25) then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. 26) And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. 27) You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you.’” – Deuteronomy 14:22-27; NKJV.

Friends, indeed, tithing is an Old Covenant concept. After the death and resurrection, the New Testament nowhere commands us or even admonishes us as Christians to submit to a legalistic tithe system. The New Testament – under the New Covenant – nowhere designates that we are now to save a percentage of income for feast finances.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2) Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, …” – 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; KJV.

Jesus Christ – under the New Covenant – speaks about the importance and the benefits of giving. We are to give (as well as save for God’s feasts) as we are able. Sometimes that means 10 percent; sometimes that may mean less. It depends on the ability of the individual and the needs of the Body of Christ – the Church. Tithing, as well as saving for God’s feasts (it is a wise concept) is a private matter between the individual and Almighty God and Jesus Christ because it is an act of worship. It’s not the “job” of the Church to “enforce” or “police” this Old Covenant law. Each individual has the responsibility to “honor the LORD with [his/her] possessions, And with the firstfruits of all [their] increase.” Tithing, as well as free will offerings, are the method by which the Gospel is proclaimed to the world – Malachi 3:8-10; Matthew 6:21; 23:23.

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or OF NECESSITY; for God loves a cheerful giver.” – 2 Corinthians 9:7; NKJV.

World News Items

The European Union (EU) completed its parliamentary elections. And, while pro-EU parties continue to have control, ‘nationalist’ parties are gaining ground (See: European elections 2019: Power blocs lose grip on parliament). In the United Kingdom, the new Brexit party, led by Nigel Farage, performed best in the EU parliamentary election (See: Macron vs. Salvini: Two leaders face off over EU’s future). Prime Minister Theresa May of the UK announced her resignation on Friday at least partially because her Brexit proposals have not passed (See: UK PM Theresa May announces resignation amid fury over Brexit handling). The European Union is still highly upset concerning Brexit and the UK political leaders remain divided on how to proceed.

In the United States of America, President Trump has issued another threat to Iran (Trump National Security Adviser Accuses Iran of Tanker Attacks Off UAE). Now, while Iran is hardly powerful enough to defeat the USA, they do have enough power to cause grave damage should this situation escalate further.

Concerning the Middle East, President Trump’s son-in-law is hoping to persuade more in the Middle East to support the Trump Administration’s peace plan (See: Jared Kushner aims to build support for ‘deal of the century’ with Mideast trip). Now, because of President Donald Trump’s recognition that Jerusalem is Israel’s rightful capital and the move of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, Palestinian leaders do not wish to deal with him or others of the Trump Administration regarding any peace plan. However, this should not surprise us since it is consistent with Palestinian sentiment. Now, eventually, yet after much bloodshed, there will be a temporary peace deal in the chaotic Middle East - involving Israel and the Palestinians (cf. Daniel 9:27).

Suggested Sabbath Service

Here is a suggested Sabbath service for this week.

● 2-3 hymns. (hymscript.com has many song sheets for printing and sharing).
● Opening prayer.
● Sermonette (if you choose). The one suggested for this week is: Suffering for Righteousness Sake.
● Announcements (if any). One hymn.
● Sermon. The one suggested for this week is: My People Are Destroyed By Fake Truth. Additional
    sermons are available on our website: owensborochurchofjesuschrist.com.
● Final hymn.
● Closing prayer.

IN CASE YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED A ‘LETTER TO OUR FRIENDS’ FOR ANY WEEK, REMEMBER WE HAVE MANY SERMON MESSAGES ON THE Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ website. Also, there are audio sermons on our Soundcloud Radio channel.

Concluding Comments

The Apostle Paul in Titus wrote:

“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. 9) But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10) Reject a divisive man [a person who tends to cause disagreement or hostility between others] after the first and second admonition, 11) knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” – Titus 3:8-11; NKJV.

Minister Garrett wrote:

“ [A] … man who actually claimed to be a member of the Church of God was claiming that abortion was a “good thing.” And he was just incensed that anyone would be against abortion. And obviously, there were people on the other side. And I guess it almost went to a bare-knuckle brawl!? Now imagine - At a church holy festival people are getting so animated to the point of hatred, to the point of just intense rancor, and displeasure, that they almost got into a fist fight over something they can’t control. … And then, somewhere else there was a heated argument over discussions of political candidate’s! … And even today, I’m sure that there are church groups where people get into major disagreements over politics. And they do it on the Sabbath day while they’re attending church. And folks, it’s just not good! It’s not good! My suggestion is – stay off the topic. Now I think you can discuss politics in a calm manner. I think I’ve done it many times in my life. But when all of a sudden that becomes your team, and that becomes your player, your star, your captain, your coach, and you’re not about to let anybody disparage your side, your team – then you have a problem! Folks, LOOK TO JESUS! And, how many times have I said that!? Look to Jesus! And especially on the Sabbath day! If you’re gonna get together, talk about something that Jesus Christ would talk about. Talk about something about Jesus Christ or the New Covenant, or blessing’s which have come about in your life, or challenges which are coming in the future. And you wish for people’s good thoughts and prayers to be on your behalf. But to dive down into the ugly sewer of politics is just unbecoming and unacceptable – if you wanna know the truth. It’s just unacceptable.”
(Christ In You (Unleavened Bread) 2017 Day 6).

The lack of the ‘fruits of the Spirit’ of those insisting on being improperly divisive should be crystal clear. Yet, those who do such things do not properly see their ‘lukewarm’ work – cf. Revelation 3:14-16. They need their eyes properly anointed to see and to repent (change) – cf. Revelation 3:18.

Friends, “’ He who [truly] believes in Me [in Jesus Christ]…’” will surely believe what the living Bible says and teaches and will continue to support the Work of God and be careful in maintaining good works unto God.

In deep gratitude and love, in Jesus' name,

My People Are Destroyed By Fake Truth (Sermon)


The Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ is very pleased to announce our latest sermon from our Godtube channel:


1:33:48

Prophet Hosea, under great inspiration of God's Holy Spirit wrote, "'My [Almighty God's] people are destroyed for lack of knowledge [right knowledge], I will also reject you from being priest for Me; Because YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THE LAW [the Ten Commandments] of your God, I also will forget your children.'" - so says Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ!


Friends, this GRAVE WARNING, through the prophet Hosea, the stern voice of GOD, almost all parents have NOT heeded! This warning reveals a key that could easily unlock a vital door of almost unbelievable blessings from God in all parent-child relationships!


I see young parents NOT disciplining their young children. Screaming at them, yes. But not disciplining. Parents must not forget GOD and GOD'S LAW - children lose out on His blessings that come from learning of and living His Way. Many young parents tell themselves, "Oh, my child is only doing what I did when I was young!"


God's living and immovable WORD tells us that we are living in the age when evil influences are to grow worse and worse - II Tim. 3:13. Friends, easily, since early 1943, weapons of mass destruction have existed which could erase all human life from the surface of this earth. And our Lord Jesus said that if God the Father and Himself did not return and intervene in this world's soon-coming great tribulation, no humans would be left alive - Matt. 24:22!


This is not "just another generation." We are living in a world growing worse - physically and spiritually. How can a child wisely make his/her way in society if left to their own devices!? As Andy Taylor once said on child rearing, "You can't let a young 'un decide for himself. He'll grab at the first flashy thing with shiny ribbons on it, then when he finds out there's a hook in it, it's too late. The wrong ideas come packaged with so much glitter it's hard to convince him that other things might be better in the long run, and all a parent can do is say, "Wait. Trust me," and try to keep temptation away." Young people without proper guidance only cause their parents much grief, so says God - Proverbs 29:15.


There is a divine source of spiritual understanding that truly reveals the causes of - and the solution to - the problems and ills with which young people are confronted. And that source is God's living WORD!

Here is a link to this sermon - My People Are Destroyed By Fake Truth

Additional items of related interest:

The Foundation Of Truth (Sermon)Friends, the faith which you are clinging to may do you absolutely no good against Satan the devil and his imp's - unless it meets several specific conditions. Your faith MUST rest on a solid foundation - The Foundation Of Truth!
Notes Concerning the Day of Atonement (Prophetically the Day of the LORD) VIIAnd, continuing my thought here – some of them who knew the Word of God, and had preached it for years, when the group in Pasadena [...]
Prophecy Series - the Last CrusadeI mentioned the Roman Empire, in its relationship to our modern world, and its significants in Biblical prophecy. And as we read in our history books, Rome established itself as the dominant military power in the Mediterranean in 202 BC. [...]

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

The Apple of God's Eye

by Michael C. Garrett

the House of Israel

Once again, it’s good to be here, it’s always an honor and a privilege. It’s been said that the Bible is the story of one man’s family. It is extremely impressive to read of the love and the devotion and of the dedication that God through His Word expresses for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Joseph’s two sons – Ephraim and Manasseh. God has chosen to love these people, their family members, and their descendants. Even though God has often been grievously disappointed by their actions and attitudes, their decisions and their directions. Their stubbornness and pride over many centuries and millennia. God has loved and continues to love these people. They are the apple of His eye!

Ancient Ur of the Chaldees

Let’s quickly go back in the Book of Genesis and read some of the promises that God made to these founding fathers – of these people. In Genesis 12:1-3 we read, “Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country [he lived in Ur of the Chaldees], From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2) I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3) I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”

And then in Genesis 13:14 – again speaking to Abram – “…’ Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are – northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15) for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. 16) And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17) Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.’” – and that’s a pretty good promise to get from God.

Genesis 17 – a little farther down the story. Verse 1 – “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I AM Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless [perfect, or mature]. 2) And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.’ 3) Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4) ‘As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5) No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6) I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7) And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8) Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.’”

Also, Genesis 26 – we’ll skip a few and get to where He’s talking to Isaac. Verse 2 – “Then the LORD appeared to him [Isaac] and said: ‘Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. 3) Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4) And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5) because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.’” – so now the promise is being passed on directly to Isaac.

Also, Genesis 28 – we read about Isaac blessing Jacob, his son. Verse 1 – “Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, … 3) ‘May God Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an assembly of peoples; 4) And give you the blessing of Abraham, To you and your descendants with you. That you may inherit the land In which you are a stranger, Which God gave to Abraham.’”

And then, just a few verses later, verses 10-12 – God speaks directly to Jacob. Verse 13 – “And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: ‘I AM the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14) Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15) Behold, I AM with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.’”

And then in Genesis 32:24 – this series of blessings continue. And this is one of the most remarkable events I can imagine ever reading in the Bible! Jacob was worried about having his brother come and kill him, because Jacob when he was younger, wasn’t the most upright of people. He was a little sneaky. And his brother was very angry and looking to kill him! Literally. And Jacob was worried, and somehow he ends up – and this is just remarkable – in a wrestling match with the One we now call Jesus Christ! Isn’t that bizarre!? That Jesus Christ – before He was even Jesus Christ – made Himself in the form of a Man, and He and Jacob get into a wrestling match – that apparently lasts all the way until the breaking of the day! “Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.” And we find out later where Jacob says, “I have seen God face to face.” And this wrestling match goes on – and Jacob would simply not give up! He would not let go of Him! A determination. “I’m gonna hang on until You bless me!” And finally, just to get away from Him, the One we now call Jesus Christ literally dislocated his hip. Injured him, to just get him off of Him! And that’s what we’re told in verse 25. Verse 26 – “And He said, ‘Let Me go, for the day breaks.’ But he said, ‘I will not let You go unless You bless me!’ 27) So He said to him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Jacob.’ 28) And He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.’ 29) Then Jacob asked, saying, ‘Tell me Your name, I pray.’ And He said, ‘Why is it that you ask about My name?’ And He blessed him there. 30) So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: ‘For I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved.’” – what a remarkable story! Both from the account of God – that He was willing to show up in the form of a Man and would even have this contest – and how remarkable it is of Jacob. His persistence and his determination that he was going to be blessed by God.

And then over in Genesis 35 – we read another little part of this story. And I’m running through these pretty quickly. Verse 10 – “And God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.’ So He called his name Israel. 11) Also God said to him: ‘I AM God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; …’” and here’s such a unique little caption “…’ a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. 12) The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants, after you, I give this land.’” – a nation and a company of nations. Now, you can make of that whatever you want. But if you look up that word “company” it means a multitude, an assembly, or even like the word commonwealth. Where in the history of mankind have two people (who are literally brothers) speak the same language, have the same customs, so many of the same mores and thoughts, family traditions, where there is a great nation and a great commonwealth of nations!? Where has that ever occurred!? Well, I think you all know the answer. It wasn’t Uruguay and Paraguay. It wasn’t Brazil and Argentina. It’s pretty obvious what it was – and again, this is not me speaking, this is the Bible speaking. This is the Word of God. Either you believe it, or you don’t. As for me, I believe it. And I think we have the empirical evidence that God kept His promises.

In Genesis 48 – now, this is after Joseph had been taken into captivity and risen now to a powerful position in the government of Egypt – like a Vice Pharaoh. And now his family is returning unto him. And lo and behold he finds out that Jacob (Israel) his father was still alive, and it says in verse 1 – “Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, ‘Indeed your father is sick’; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. … 3) Then Jacob said to Joseph: ‘God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4) and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’” And then we have this situation where they were actually blessed. Verse 8 – “Then Israel [Jacob] saw Joseph’s sons, and said, ‘Who are these?’ 9) Joseph said to his father, ‘They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.’ And he said, ‘Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.’”

And then we find out that there was the crossing of the hands. Verse 15 – “And he blessed Joseph, and said: ‘God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, 16) The angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.’” – and so a nation and a company of nations were to come from these two young boys and their progeny. And again, I think we understand how that came about and who they are. And what a blessing it is that we get to share in those blessings.

This line or group of people would become known both historically and prophetically as ISRAEL. Or, the people of Israel, or the House of Israel. And if you look up in my Hebrew lexicon, it says that the word Israel means “soldier of God.” 1

And then in Strong’s Concordance, look it up, it says that this word Israel actually means, “he will rule as God.” 2 How remarkable! As he said, “like a prince, you have power with God.” And, as he said earlier, “you have prevailed.” He was willing to wrestle God all through the night.

In naming them Israel, God gave us insight as to what He wants these people to become. Soldier’s for God and rulers as God. That’s their legacy, that’s their future! Sounds very familiar to me.

Ezekiel 16 – God expresses some tremendous emotion for these people. And this is an allegory. But I think we can glean a lot. I don’t have time to read the whole chapter, but I will pick a few highlights. This is poetic language. Verse 4 – “’ As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. 5) No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born. 6) And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, …’” – and God had mercy upon these people! God literally – and I know that it’s sort of odd to say it this way – fell in love with these people. “’ Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ … 8) ‘When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. …’” – He treated her with great modesty. “…’ Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,’ says the Lord GOD.” He literally as it were, married these people. Just totally and completely attached to these people. And He goes on to describe how beautiful He made them and decked them with beautiful clothes and jewelry. But then there was a flaw within these people. And, like He said in verse 15 – “’ But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it.’” – and Israel has been doing that for a long, long time. And He says in verse 20 – notice how frightening this is – “’ Moreover you took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to Me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured.’” – again it just makes you wonder if God doesn’t see abortion in the very same manner. The murdering of someone who is perfectly innocent! Verse 21 – “…’ you have slain My children …’” And, He’s very upset with them. He says in verse 32 – “’ You are an adulterous wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband.’” And He continues to talk about how disappointed He was in them. Verse 38 – “…’ I will bring blood upon you in fury and jealousy.’” – an allusion to the as yet coming Day of the LORD, or the terrible time in the end-times. (Be sure to read the two-part article The Day of the LORD). He says in verse 43 – “…’ I will also recompense your deeds on your own head,’ says the Lord God. ‘And you shall not commit lewdness in addition to all your abominations. … 59) For thus says the Lord GOD: ‘I will deal with you as you have done, who despised the oath by breaking the covenant. 60) Nevertheless …’” – and this is God’s mercy. “…[in the end] I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.’”

God, even though He’s been greatly hurt by Israel and her behavior, He still is never gonna give up on her!

Well God has expressed His deep concern at various times in the pages of the Bible. Ezekiel 33:11 is a particularly moving piece of Scripture. “…’ As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’” God is pleading with them!

Jesus Christ said something very similar. He says in Matthew 23:37 – “’ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!’


Over the expanse of time, Israel has failed to live up to the expectations that God has placed upon her. Even in this modern era of time when God has fulfilled many of His promises of national greatness – which were made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. The people of Israel stagger forward with an extremely unsteady gate. And the near future is uncertain, and I think it’s dark and ominous. But now in the words of the now deceased former governor of Texas Ann Richards. Remember this famous convention speech!? “They just ken't help it!” She was referring to George W. Bush. Well, they just can’t help it! Our people just can’t help it! And the reason – except for a very small remnant, very chosen group of people – modern day physical Israel is not converted. They simply do not possess God’s Spirit, truth and knowledge, and therefore presently they simply do not have at their disposal the tools, the means, the methods by which they can know how to worship, obey, and serve God. And yet there is something special and wonderful about the people of Israel. I know that they’re not yet the people that God wants them to become, and they are indeed a work in progress. There are exceptions – there are some bad people out there. As a general rule, the people of the United States of America and Britain, and Canada, and Australia, and New Zealand, and South Africa are wonderful and special people! God loves these people, and so should all of us! Even though they now fall short of the people they are supposed to be – someday in future eras of time, they will become the people of God!

Is all of mankind truly evil?

In all of my years at AC, I grew weary of this constant drumbeat that I heard from so many of those teachers and preachers out there. Of how evil, corrupt and wicked that all sectors of American life happen to be! I remember sitting out there – and I still think this – my family members are not wicked! My friends and associates are not wicked! My people are not wicked! The only difference between them and me, or them and you, is that they are not yet converted. My only claim to fame and your only claim to fame is that God has bestowed His mercy on us just a little sooner than He has on them. Other than the timing, there’s no difference between them and us.

Over the decades I have been given the opportunity to officiate countless athletic events. High school, junior high school, college age, and several other different sports, and I have benefited in so many different significant ways. One of the greatest blessings has been in getting to know many of these young athletes. And on so many occasions I have been overwhelmed by these young people! So talented, so intelligent, so well-spoken, so dedicated. I have learned that they are such high quality, that I find myself just being powerfully overwhelmed and impressed by them. One quick such example – there’s a young man who plays football, basketball, and baseball, at the same high school I once attended. A terrific and outstanding athlete. Excellent grades in the classrooms, hardworking, personable, polite, respectful, courteous. I have officiated dozens of Jerad’s games over the past three years, and this young man, in my opinion, is the finest, most enjoyable, most pleasant human being I have ever had the honor and the pleasure to be around. Bar none. And when I view Jerad and I interact with him, my mind simply cannot conceive that he is somehow evil, corrupt, and wicked. And yet ministers and leaders of AC in the WCG loved to quote the passage from Jeremiah 17:9. I can still hear them up at the podium pounding away at it! Remember, this is the King James English written in 1611. And as written in your Bible, if you have the King James English, it says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked …” – and they would get on that verse and go, “DESPERATELY WICKED!” And every time they did it a little bit of me just sunk. Because I knew something wasn’t right. Well, a little while back I did a little word study. And that phrase ‘desperately wicked’ comes from one Hebrew word – ‘ānaš. Do you know what the actual meaning of that Hebrew word is - in a concordance, lexicon, the best I can do as far as word study!? It’s frail, feeble, melancholy. 3 A much better rendition of Jeremiah 17:9 might well read, “The heart is self-centered above all, and very frail, and very feeble.” And the reasons it’s frail, feeble, is because the human heart unconverted is devoid of God’s Spirit. It does not yet have the tools to become the person they're supposed to become.

And instead of viewing our fellow countrymen as being evil, corrupt, and wicked, maybe we should view them as God views them. As sons and daughters. As brothers and sisters – whose someday will be members of the very people of God! The Commonwealth of Israel. God will redeem them! God will restore them!

‘Recover the remnant of His people’

Jeremiah 31 – this is an inspiring chapter. You’ve heard it read I’m sure many times. Even the writers of the New Testament quoted it on a couple of occasions. God said through Jeremiah 31:31 – “’ Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah – 32) not according to the covenant that I made with the fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33) But this is the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel AFTER THOSE DAYS [meaning after the Day of the LORD], says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people.’” – that’s the relationship God has truly ever wanted! For Him to be God, and for human beings to be completely dedicated to Him. Verse 34 – “’ No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘[Do you know the LORD?],’ for they ALL shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’” – He will redeem them! He will restore them!

Notice Romans 9 – a perception of an attitude that I dare say - I don’t have this attitude. But Paul did. I don’t know if any of you do – maybe you do. I’m just not aware of it. He said in Romans 9:1 – “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit.” – he’s saying, ‘I’m just telling you this as honest as I possibly can.’ Verse 2 – “that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3) For I could wish that I myself [if I could be] accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh.” – that Israelites could somehow be converted. Paul was willing to sacrifice his own existence if God would somehow at that time pour out His grace upon Israel. Well, He hasn’t yet in mass.

But notice Romans 10 – Paul wrote again, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2) For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” - and we understand that. We look around. We know what’s going on in the other churches and how they don’t use the Word of God as their Foundation or their Rule Book. They just sort of make up the theories and the doctrines as they go along on their own human whims. He says in verse 11 – “…’ Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’” And in verse 13 – “…’ whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’ 14) How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” – and so the people – our brothers and sisters, our fellow countrymen and our cousins overseas – they simply haven’t heard the truth of God. And they haven’t been given God’s calling. And they haven’t been given God’s Spirit.

He goes on to say in Romans 11:1 – “I say then, has God cast away His people? CERTAINLY NOT! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2) God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. … 5) Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” – and I’m writing this article up for some of that remnant right now! The remnant of God – a very small chosen group of people. Verse 7 – “What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” – they can’t see the truth of God right now! God has protected them in ignorance. Verse 8 – “Just as it is written: ‘God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, …’” Verse 11 – “I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? [ARE THEY LOST!?] CERTAINLY NOT! …” – and we understand from the Word of God, as he says in verse 25 – “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery [of obtaining eternal life, the hope of eternal life], lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel UNTIL THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES HAS COME IN.” – until the conclusion of the Day of the LORD. Verse 26 – “And so ALL ISRAEL will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer [Jesus Christ] will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27) For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’” Verse 29 – For the gifts and the calling of God are [without repentance].” – God chose Israel back in the days of Abraham to be His people, and God has NEVER forsaken that promise, and He will NEVER forsake that promise! And someday Israel once again will be His people! He says in verse 32 – “For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might [someday] have mercy on all.” - All Israel shall be saved!

There are promises made in the Word of God about ISRAEL. Some of them happen after the Return of Jesus Christ – after the blowing of the SEVENTH TRUMPET. If you would turn to Isaiah 11 – these are marvelous Scriptures to me. I thrill when I think about what’s going to happen. And I’m talking about people that I know – I’m talking about maybe some of my relatives. I’m talking about maybe some of your relatives. I’m talking about maybe young Jared that I admire so much. I pray that he be allowed to live into the Kingdom of God! So that he too can witness this, and be a part of this! It says in Isaiah 11:11 – “It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people …” – and He names from all the places around the world He’s going to gather them! Verse 12 – “He will set up a [ensign] for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth. … 16) There will be a highway for the remnant of His people Who will be left from Assyria, ….” – and Egypt and other places. And then chapter 12 – the entire chapter.

“And in THAT DAY …” – when is that!? After the blowing of the SEVENTH TRUMP, and God starts the process of cleaning up this earth. “…’ O LORD, I will praise You; Though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.” – this is what the physical people of Israel will say. Verse 2 – “’ Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For [JĔ-HŌ’-VĂH], the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’” 3) Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation. 4) And in that day you will say: ‘Praise the LORD call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted. 5) Sing to the LORD, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth. 6) Cry out and shout, O inhabitants of Zion, For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!’” – God someday will dwell with His people!

Notice Jeremiah 23 – we read something very similar to what we just read. Verse 3 – this is God speaking through His prophet. “’ But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4) I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; …’” – ‘shepherds that will feed them,’ I wonder who that might be!? Maybe the resurrected saints of God!? Maybe people like you and me!? I look forward to that! I’ve heard people talk about – “Well, I can’t wait until the blowing of the seventh trump, because I’m gonna be resurrected!” And truly it is! And if that doesn’t happen, you’re sunk – so yeah celebrate it! But in a larger respect your concern, your empathy, your excitement, should not be on your own personal excitement, but should rather be on the fact that someday you are going to be given – in the status of being a member of the Family of God – you’re going to turn around and help your fellow countrymen reestablish their lives! You’re going to be their leaders, their teachers. As it were – their city mayor, their local king. What a wonderful future we have in giving back to the people of God - The people of Israel! Verse 7 – “‘Therefore, behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that they shall no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 8) but, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up and led the descendants of the House of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.”

Jeremiah 32. Verse 36 talks about some of the punishment their gonna have to go through to sort of get their minds right. Their attitudes straight where they will finally listen to God. Verse 37 – “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. 38) They shall be My people, and I will be their God.” – ISRAEL will have a future home! Unfortunately, there’s a real rough spot in the middle of all that!

And with the exception of a relatively few people – here’s another PROMISE from the Word of God for the people of Israel. Remember, He said, ‘ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED.’ So, does my Mother have hope!? She didn’t know the truth of God. O’ yes she will! And I am so happy that I could say that at her funeral. And I was so happy that at the conclusion of the funeral I was able to hug my Dad and whisper into his ear, “I promise you Dad, from the pages of the Bible, that she will live again! And you will be with her!” And, all the people of ISRAEL who has ever died not knowing the truth of God will also have an opportunity to live again on this earth as physical human beings! And to learn the truth of God and to be granted eternal life as members of the Family of God! And in my opinion – this truth is the most wonderful and inspiring doctrine that we embrace. I cannot think of anything more wonderful. Because I know people who live in agony, believing that their loved ones who have died are lost. Some of them actually think their loved ones are burning in Hell. (Be sure to read our two-part article – The Confusion About Death). And again, what human being could ever imagine that God could be so cruel!? That just takes the cake. But we’ve got something to hope for!

Revelation 20 – and you’ve heard these verses before many times on the Last Great Day. But folks, do we get to read these one time a year!? Or, are these ideas we should think about and relish - 365 days a year!? Verse 4 – where he’s talking about the future installment of the people of God and the Kingdom of God. “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” – and we know that that’s just the beginning. We know that it doesn’t end after a thousand years. That’s just another era of time, and then things become even more wonderful! Verse 5 – “But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. … 6) Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

Then, down in verse 11 – John saw in vision a great white throne “…and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12) And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and Books were opened [that’s the Bible, biblio – the Greek word means Bible. They’ll be given Bible’s]. 4 And another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the Books.” – and we know from other Scriptures these people are going to live again and they are going to have a chance to sort of redirect their lives. They’re going to have a chance to change their lives. They’re going to have a chance to repent. They’re going to have a chance to become baptized and receive God’s Spirit and become physical human beings who possess God’s Spirit, and someday they too will inherit eternal life!

Ezekiel 37 – a chapter which is so difficult for mainstream people to understand – that all they can really do is make a song out of it. Remember the song “Dem Bones Dem Bones Dem Dry Bones”? Well, it’s so much more IMPORTANT than just being a song! It’s the truth of God – it’s the future! I love this passage. “The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2) Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3) And He said to me, …” – and I’m sure you’ve noticed this before, but folks, this is FANTASTIC – this thought process here. It appears to me beyond any doubt that there will be at the resurrection of these dead people a DUAL PARTICIPATION. We - who will be members of the Family of God; for a long time at this point – are going to be given the opportunity to participate in the resurrection of our family members and our friends. Has Hollywood ever thought of a plot like that!? This is a plan so wonderful, so high, that the mental small people of Hollywood can’t even grasp this! But this is the Plan of God – and this is what He is offering to you and to me! An opportunity to participate in bringing back to life some of the very people who gave us life! A perfect circle. “…’ Son of man, can these bones live?’ So I answered, ‘O Lord GOD, You know.’ 4) Again He said to me, ‘Prophesy [speak] to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the Word of the LORD! 5) Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6) I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I AM the LORD.’ 7) So I [spoke] as I was commanded; and as I [spoke], there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.” – forming perfect skeletons. Verse 8 – “Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them, …” – with all of the organs, everything in place. “…but there was no breath in them.” – they were now just corpses – as it were. And then the Lord GOD said to Ezekiel in this vision – verse 9 – “…’[Speak] to the breath, [speak], son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’ 10) So I [spoke] as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great [company of people].” – millions upon millions – billions of people! Verse 11 – “Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. …’” – remember what Paul said, ‘all Israel will be saved.’ God fell in love with Israel millennia ago, and He has NEVER lost that love! And someday He is going to fulfill all of His promises! And these are people some of which we’re gonna know!

Can you begin to imagine what these people are going to go through!? I mean, with some of them, the last thing they knew they had tubes in their arms, tubes down their throat. Some of them had turned around and saw a semi-truck coming at them! And the last thing they knew they were struck with a powerful blow! Lights out! Some of them might have been fighting in a war. Might have been on a jet plane when its engines failed, or wing fell off – or, something. And now these people are going to be alive! And I have to believe that God is going to put them in family groupings – so that at least they know somebody. And I often thought about my own parents, coming up out of the ground, looking around, and finally discovering Larry my brother, and Carol my sister. And I don’t know what they’re gonna think, other than I know that they’re going to be so happy!! Just hugs and kisses and warmth! “I’m alive! You know me, and I know you, and we’re breathing, and our hearts are beating, and somehow something miraculous has happened!” And you know what they’re going to think – they’re going to think they’re in Heaven. Because that’s what they’ve been taught all their life. And so they’re going to get around to asking, “Is this Heaven!?” And someone is going to say, “I don’t know – that looks like Southern Indiana to me!” They’re going to be bewildered, but I don’t think they’re going to spend a whole lot of time worrying about it. And families are going to meet families. My parents are going to introduce my siblings to their grandparents, and to their great-grandparents, and to their great-great-grandparents. They will literally get to see their family tree!

Do you understand that JOSEPH IS OUR STORY!? We who are sons and daughters of ISRAEL. And yet rejected by his own family – they were going to kill him! They sold him into slavery. They didn’t care about his outcome. But God was with Joseph, and Joseph was with God. And God took care of him. And yes, he went through some horrible things – being in a prison and such. But in the end, Joseph was made like he was God – in that nation of Egypt. He had the power of life and death. And he saved his family. But in doing so – do you read about the tricks he played on his brothers!? I mean, he tormented them! But, he did it out of love. And at the very last minute – when he couldn’t contain himself anymore – he finally revealed to them who he was – “I am Joseph your brother, and God has sent me here to save your lives!” And they were so fearful, they all thought that he was going to kill them – “Because we all tried to kill him.” And he goes, “No. I forgive you. That was in the past. God was a part of all of that! Let’s forget about the past, let’s live in the here and the now.” And, for a long time, they didn’t know who Joseph was. He was disguised, he looked like an Egyptian. But he was able to work with his family. And he loved them, and he took care of them. Do you understand that Joseph’s story is our story!? Because we too are going to be able to go to our family members and our friends and work with them. Heal their diseases and teach them the truth of God. And be their personal mentors as they make it into the Kingdom of God. And someday, they too will inherit eternal life. And I well imagine that Jesus Christ may give us the privilege of being there with Him as He inducts them into the Family of God! I can’t imagine a more wonderful story!

And this doesn’t happen to just Israel – because we understand from the Word God that all of the world will be grafted into Israel. God has loved Israel from the beginning, He has continued to love her, and He will love her into the future. And He will take care of her – and all Israel indeed will be saved! Your friends, your relatives – your countrymen! And your cousins across the sea! God loves these people. It’s the very basis of His plan – ISRAEL, HE WILL RULE AS GOD! That’s our future! He will be a soldier of God. That’s our future now! It’s a tremendous story! I revel in it! I marvel in it! And, someday, I’m going to have the pleasure of ushering Jared into that Kingdom! Into that Family! And I’m going to be so happy at that point!

Paul said, 1 Corinthians 2:9 - “…’ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” We have such a wonderful future. We have such a wonderful purpose. We understand it, the rest of the world doesn’t. He said, ‘No, other people don’t understand,’ but he says in verse 10 – “But God has revealed [this] to us through His Spirit.” – and we do know the future.

He said in Romans 11:33 – Paul, speaking about the salvation of Israel. “Oh, the depths of the riches both of wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable [how wonderful, I might add!] are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”

I just want to say to God the Father and Jesus Christ – thank You for Your Plan! Thank You for Your Truth! Thank You for Your mercy! Thank You for Your dedication and Your patience! And, thank You for Your love of Israel. □

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1 The text of Genesis etymologizes the name with the root śarah "to rule, contend, have power, prevail over.” שׂ רה śarah "to contend, have power, contend with, persist, exert oneself, persevere" (Strong's Concordance H8323) שָׂרַר śarar "to be or act as prince, rule, contend, have power, prevail over, reign, govern" (Strong's Concordance 8280). modern suggestions read the el as the subject, for a translation of "El/God rules/judges/struggles", Hamilton 1995, p. 334. "El fights/struggles". Wenham 1994, pp. 296–97. The Jewish Study Bible of Oxford University Press says on page 68 "The scientific etymology of Israel is uncertain, a good guess being '[The God] El rules.'"
2 Israel, “he struggles with God [El]” Strong, James, The Strongest Concordance of the Bible, 21st-century ed. ISBN 978-0-310-23343-5 (hardcover), #3478, pg. 1513. It's traditionally been translated as "to wrestle," but the Alfred Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Names denotes the translation as “he will be prince with God.”
3 (‘ānash) I, desperate, incurable, desperately wicked, woeful, very sick. The basic meaning of the word is “to be sick” (II Sam 12:15) but most frequently it is used to describe a wound or pain which is incurable as attested by the contexts of Jer 15:18; 30:12. It is used metaphorically in Isa 17:11; Jer 17:16. In Jer 17:9 it describes the desperate spiritual state of the heart in terms of illness. Harris L. R., Archer, L. Gleason, Jr., and Waltke K. Bruce. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 1980, # 135, pgs 58-59.
4 The “books” (Rev. 20:12) are referred to in justification of the sentence passed upon the wicked. Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Unger F. Merrill. Moody Press, 1966, “Book” pg. 151.
The books of God’s remembrance, alike of the evil and the good (Ps. 56:8; 139:4; Mal. 3:16): conscience (Rom. 2:15, 16), the Word of Christ (John 12:48), the law (Gal. 3:10), God’s eternal counsel (Ps. 139:16). Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary on the Bible. Jamieson, Robert; Fausset, A.R.; Brown, David. Zondervan Publishing House, 1982, pg. 1586.
biblíon, n. GK: 1046 [→ 976]. scroll, book, certificate:- book [25], books [4], bill [1], writing [1]. The Strongest Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Strong, James. Zondervan, 2001, #975, pg. 1598.

Notes Concerning the Day of Atonement (Prophetically the Day of the LORD) VII

by Michael C. Garrett

And, continuing my thought here – some of them who knew the Word of God, and had preached it for years, when the group in Pasadena announced that they were changing doctrine, they just went along with it. Because, well, they had a wife, and children, and had a mortgage, and they had to pay for college for their children, and get a retirement fund set up. They couldn’t just walk away! Had they walked away, I believe God would have blessed them, for their loyalty to Him. And even now, there is a certain organization, from which I know from short personal experience, which pays some of its supporters – and they don’t publicize this very much – in order to keep them loyal. And so whatever the little leader says – he snaps his fingers – he expects everybody just to bow and say, “O’ yes, O yes!” The same types of stuff God condemn here in the Bible!

Ezekiel 16, Verse 34, 35 – “’ Now then, O harlot, hear the Word of the LORD!’” – this is God speaking to modern-day Israel and modern-day America and the British Commonwealth, the nations from which the once British Commonwealth was formed. Verses 36-37, 38 – “’ And I will judge you as women who break wedlock or shed blood are judged; I will bring blood upon you in fury and jealousy.’” – that’s A DIRECT THREAT AGAINST OUR PEOPLE! Verse 39 – “’ I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your shrines and break down your high places. … 40) They shall also bring up an assembly against you, …’” – that’s an army – armed forces. “…’ and they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords.’” – that’s military defeat. He’s saying, ‘you will be ravaged, killed, raped, plundered!’

And this is part of your punishment – and this is a part of the DAY OF THE LORD! Which is prophetically linked with the Day of Atonement. Verse 41 – “’ They shall burn your houses with fire, …’” – again, any discussion with the Day of the Lord often involves images of fire and things being burned down and destroyed. Verses 41, 42 – “’ So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, …’” – so, eventually it comes to an end. And that’s the beginning of the Millennium. “…’ and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more.’” – that’s the Millennium again. Verse 43 – “’ Because you did not remember the days of your youth, …’” – remember, America was founded on Judean-Christian principles. And it’s very easy to go back to the writings of our founding fathers and to see where they saw our government outlined in the pages of the Bible. And yet now, we’re turning against our Christian roots. And we’re embracing everything that God says, ‘I do not want you to do.’ “…’ with all these things, surely I will also recompense your deeds on your own head, …’” – so many places in the Bible we’ve heard that phrase. ‘I will recompense you!’ ‘I will give you what you deserve!’ “…’ And you shall not commit lewdness in addition to all your abominations.’” – in other words, ‘this will end!’ ‘Your whoredoms will end!’ ‘And in the end you will come back to the true God, and beg for forgiveness and you will be forgiven, and you will start up anew in the Kingdom of God. In the Millennium, under the leadership of God the Father and Jesus Christ and all the resurrected saints and the great angelic throne. And you will finally learn how to live according to My ways!’ Verse 44 – “’ Indeed everyone who quotes proverbs will use this proverb against you: ‘Like mother, like daughter!’” – again, very powerful Words! So, let’s skip down to Verse 59 –

“For thus says the Lord GOD: ‘I will deal with you as you have done, …’” – once again, you’re going to be paid – you’re going to be rewarded – or, you’re going to be punished, exactly the way you deserve. “…’ who despised the oath by breaking the covenant.’” – that ancient marriage covenant.

But again, there’s redemption on the other side, there’s healing on the other side. Verse 60 – “’ Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.’” – that’s the Millennium. That’s the government of God. That’s the Family of God.

Ezekiel 18 – Verse 30 – one more time this DIRECT WARNING FROM GOD! In the end, there will be justice. In the end, all of the books will balance. In the end, there will be ATONEMENT! And He says, “’ Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘REPENT, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31) Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.’” – A direct illusion TO THE NEW COVENANT! Speaking of the New Covenant, we need to look to the New Covenant and not the Old Covenant. “…’ For why should you die, O house of Israel?’” – if you live according to the Old Covenant, you will die! If you live according to the New Covenant you will live for all eternity. Verse 32 – “’ For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘Therefore turn and live!’” – LIVE THE PRECEPTS OF THE NEW COVENANT AND LIVE under the Priesthood of Jesus Christ and you will live! But if you live by the Old Covenant and the old ways you won’t make it. THUS SAYS, GOD!

Ezekiel 20 – notice Verse 8 – here God had attempted the children of Israel to go into the Promised Land. Verse 9 – “’But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, …’” – think of all the miracles that took place during the time of the Passover in leaving Egypt. Powerful miracles. Verse 10 – “’ Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.’” – so, that was physical Israel leaving slavery to go – eventually – into the Promised Land.

The analogy is: Now God is working with the members of a spiritual Israel. Members of the true Church, in whose Spirit resides and Truth resides. And for those people, God will take out of the bondage of being human, and temporary, and mortal, and releasing them to live for all eternity in the Kingdom of God. And that’s the analogy of the Old compared to the analogy of the New.

Verse 11 – “’And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’” – and then, notice Verse 12 – Now, there might be some of you who read these notes, who may find what I say different and unique, and some of you are still clinging to your old Protestant or Catholic roots, or other religious roots.

And some of you might read this and you are still fixated on the idea that in the Bible the weekly day of church is Sunday. And, let me tell you again, I’ve spoken of this before, nowhere in the Bible does it say that Sunday is the day of worship. Over and over, dozens and dozens and scores of times the Bible talks about the Sabbath – the Sabbath is not Sunday. The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week. It’s what we call in our Western culture, Saturday. He says in Verse 12 – “’ Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I AM the LORD who sanctifies them. 13) Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; …’” Verse 16 – “’ because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, …’” – they did not follow the Law’s of God. “…’ but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.’” – false religion. False religious ideas. Verse 18 – “’ But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols.’” – with their false religion. Verse 19 – “’ I AM the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; …’” – OBEY THE TEN COMMANDMENTS! Verses 20-22, 24 – “’ because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, …’” – they did not keep the Ten Commandments. “…’ profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols [false religion]’”

Now, I’ve had people say, “What you’re saying makes sense. And I can’t discount it, but my father was a member of the such-and-such church. Of a Catholic church or a Protestant church. And I’ve got to go with my father and my mother. I mean, God says, ‘Honor thy father and thy mother!’” Well, honor thy father and thy mother when their right! But if they're blatantly wrong, opposing the Word of God, then it’s incumbent upon you to make a change! Recall that song by Michael Jackson, Man In the Mirror, with the lyrics ♪ ♫ I’m gonna make a change For once in my life ♪ ♫. Look into your Bible and realize that the Bible talks about keeping the Sabbath! I know that’s odd to so many people!

Because they’ve grown up in a culture in which they, sort-of, pay lip-service on Sunday – but everything else is just doing what you want. But folks, that’s what the Bible says! I don’t want you to die. I don’t want to die.

And the only way that I can ensure that both you and I have a chance at eternal life is if we live in the concepts and precepts of the New Covenant with Jesus Christ as our High Priest and the basis of our lives are on the Law of the Ten Commandments. That’s THE FOUNDATION upon which we stand! And, the leadership and the guidance of Jesus Christ! That’s where our focus is. Now I continually speak of the Word of God, the Truth of God, and the Plan of God. And we should focus on what Jesus said, “’ Feed My sheep!’

Again, I’ve been speaking on the meaning and the Biblical authority of the Day of Atonement – which is prophetically linked with the Day of the Lord. Now, I think each holy day has different meanings – different layers of meaning – and so with the Day of Atonement. But the ultimate meaning of the Day of Atonement is symbolic of the Day of the Lord – that is the day when Jesus Christ and God the Father (the realm of GOD) comes to this Earth and They exact justice. The books will finally be balanced, of good and evil, of justice and injustice. It is the final accounting of mankind’s sins. And, it is a day of judgment upon all facets of the earth. And Jesus Christ will literally come face to face with human beings, and there will be a big-time accounting. And, I’ve been trying to say, and some may not believe me, and some may not understand what I am saying, but the majority of the Bible is prophecy or has a prophetic nature to it– the vast majority. And, the vast majority of those prophecies, maybe upwards of 90%, deal with the Day of the Lord. Now, this has never been taught in the generations of the different manifestations of the churches of God. It’s never been understood. And for many of you whose roots go back to the Worldwide Church of God, you might very well find yourself saying, “Wait a minute. Herbert never taught that. Ted never taught that.” And, the answer is, “Yes, you’re correct!” They never did teach about this because, quite frankly, and in my opinion – the only thing I can conclude is – they simply did not understand it. Now I have every reason to believe, that had they understood it, they would have talked about it. But quite frankly, the Worldwide Church of God dismissed the magnity of the Day of the Lord. Just said that it was a relatively minor event, just a passing event.

Well, it is relatively short in time, but it is the most traumatic event the Earth will have ever gone through when this thing is over with! And it affects everyone who will be living upon the face of the Earth! Now, hopefully, just BEFORE the Day of the Lord, many of us – who profess and hope that we have God’s Spirit and that our names are written into the Book of Life – will be resurrected from a mortal human existence into an immortal eternal spiritual existence. And that is the hope of eternal life promised so many times in the pages of the Bible.

Now, this series of notes have not gone over all of the Scriptures which deal with the Day of the Lord. And in truth I’ve only covered a tiny portion – maybe dented it just a bit. There is so much more to go over. However, this is vital information that has never been explained, never been understood, never been taught, in the hallways of the churches of God. And, by going over these notes, you’re going to see passages which you’ve heard – you’ve heard different minister’s talk about – but which you’ve never understood, or really had the slightest meaning about what it was talking about. It just, sort-of, sounded like “Old Testament stuff.” Well, all of a sudden these verses which have been oblique at best in your mind will become crystal clear as to their meaning. Now, to those who continually say to me, “People don’t need to hear downtrodden messages, they need to hear happy things, and joyous things, and uplifting things!” Well, I think of Isaiah 30 - beginning with Verse 9 – “’That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the LORD; 10) Who say to the seers [to the preachers, the prophets], ‘Do not see,’ And to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. 11) Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel [Jesus Christ, Himself] To cease from before us.’” – basically, this is what happened to me with a particular group from 2012 to 2019. They didn’t want to be confronted with what the Word of God says, even with the profound meanings of the Day of the Lord! Which is what I was doing. “But just prophesy smooth things.” “Easy things, just prophesy candy, and think of the church people as children who want their new lollipop or gumdrops or their new juicy fruits.” “But whatever you do, don’t give us real solid meat from the Word of God!” Well, I’m sorry brethren, I reject what you attempted to do to me, and Jesus Christ is still with me, and to the best of my ability I will continue to teach from the Word of God – all of the Word of God! Including those things which talk about the Day of Atonement – the Day of the Lord. The day when God Almighty and Jesus Christ visit this Earth in a time of judgment, in a time of justice. Also turn to Jeremiah 5, verse 31 – “’ The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. …’” – and in today’s world we don’t use the terms ‘prophets’ and ‘priests,’ we use the word ministers. There are ministers, in important places, and even though they try to come across as charming and also humble, and gentle, they prophesy candy and sweet things, they are prophesying falsely. Because the truth of the Bible is not candy and sweet things – but the DAY OF THE LORD! Which is soon to come upon this Earth. Also turn to 1st Timothy – chapter 4, beginning in verse 1 – “Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2) speaking lies in hypocrisy, …’” – and what happened to me - where it was said to me, “I will do everything within my power to destroy you and the church in Owensboro!” ‘speaking lies in hypocrisy!’  I would rather have a rattlesnake for a friend. “…’ having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, …’” – and I think because of God’s Spirit he didn’t want me anywhere around him. Well, you would think I was a ten-horned demon.

In the end, the truth will come out. And I will live quite peacefully knowing that I have served my Creator and Savior and that my life is in Their hands. And my fate is in Their hands.

So, going again to some of the passages which talk about the Day of the Lord. And, these are just notes, not anything closely related to in depth. Just some of the chief places – some of the Books that talk about the Day of the Lord in different ways.

Deuteronomy 31:16 – “And the LORD said to Moses: ‘Behold, you will rest [‘you’re going to go to sleep] with your fathers; and this people [this nation called ISRAEL] will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them.” And, Verse 17, God’s ultimate punishment for this act of rebellion over centuries and centuries – “’Then My anger shall be aroused against them IN THAT DAY, …’” – in the Bible – not every time, but, the vast majority of the time – when you see the phrase “in that day” that is referring to the Day of the Lord. Now, sometimes “in that day” refers to the events just following the Day of the Lord, in which God begins to set up the Kingdom of God, in the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. It’s like two different sides of the same coin. “…’ and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say IN THAT DAY, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’” – ‘God has left us!’ Verse 18 – “’ And I will surely hide My face IN THAT DAY because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.’” – so, even back in the writings of Moses you have references to the Day of the Lord.

Isaiah 1:20 – now if you refuse and rebel, if you refuse to hear the Word of God and the Truth of God and the Plan of God, “’ But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword [warfare].’” Isaiah 2:11 – “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the LORD alone shall be exalted IN THAT DAY [the Day of the Lord]. 12) For THE DAY OF THE LORD of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up – And it shall be brought low … 17) The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; The LORD alone will be exalted IN THAT DAY, 18) But the idols He shall utterly abolish.”

19) They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.” – in THE DAY OF THE LORD and the events leading up to it, there will be many violent earthquakes upon our planet.

Also notice chapter 3, Verse 7 – “IN THAT DAY he will protest, saying, ‘I cannot cure your ills, For in my house is neither food nor clothing; Do not make me a ruler of the people.’ 8) For Jerusalem stumbled, And Judah is fallen, Because their tongue and their doings Are against the LORD, To provoke the eyes of His glory.” And, again here, these are just a few, to try to show you that there are great portions of the Bible which talk about the Day of the Lord and prophecy that we need to explore. Verse 18; King James Version – “IN THAT DAY the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls [scarves or veils], and their round tires like the moon [the crescents]” Verse 25 – “Your men shall fall by the sword, And your mighty in the war. 26) Her gates shall lament and mourn, And she being desolate shall sit on the ground.” – now one of the Books of the Bible is called Lamentations. Lamenting, mourning. And I’ve asked the question: What are they lamenting!? And, yes, there were some events back in that day – but prophetically – the lamenting in the Book of Lamentations is about the Day of the Lord. An event which is yet to come!

Chapter 4, Verse 1 – “And IN THAT DAY seven women shall take hold of one man, …” - meaning, so many men will have been killed, that there will be a great majority of women and very few men because they’ve been killed in warfare and sickness and plague and all manner of horrible things. Verse 2 – “IN THAT DAY the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious; …” – again, this is talking about the backside of the Day of the Lord, which is the establishment of the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 5, Verse 20 – and this is a verse I often mention. In the eyes of God – especially concerning His so-called ministers – He says in verse 20, “’ Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21) Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!’” Verse 24 – “…’ Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, And despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel.’” Verse 30 – “’ IN THAT DAY they will roar against them Like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks to the land, Behold, darkness and sorrow; And the light is darkened by the clouds.’”

Chapter 13, Verse 6 – “Wail, for THE DAY OF THE LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. 7) Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man’s heart will melt, 8) And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames.” Verse 9 – “Behold, THE DAY OF THE LORD comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it.” – It’s a day of judgment upon the Earth! Verse 13 – “’ Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth will move out of her place, …’” – talking about earthquakes. “…’ In the wrath of the LORD of hosts And in the day of His fierce anger.’” – the Day of the Lord!

Isaiah 22:4 – “Therefore I said [Isaiah speaking when he sees these things in vision], ‘Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; Do not labor to comfort me Because of the plundering of the daughter of my people.’ 5) For it is A DAY OF TROUBLE …” – now, you’ve heard the expression Jesus Christ talking about ‘a day of tribulation,’ well, that word just means troubles. And here is what Isaiah says, it’s a day of just tremendous troubles.

The vast majority of the Bible is talking about the DAY OF THE LORD! And yet, the leaders of the Worldwide Church of God and the churches which came from it, have never put this together! Well, I’m blessed and I’m humbled to realize that God has shown this to me.

Chapter 30, Verse 25 – “There will be on every high mountain And on every high hill Rivers and streams of waters, IN THE DAY OF THE GREAT SLAUGHTER, …” – that’s another name for the Day of the Lord.

Chapter 34, Verse 8 – “For it is THE DAY OF THE LORD’S VENGEANCE, The year of recompense for the cause of Zion.” Verse 9 – “Its streams shall be turned into pitch, And its dust shall become burning pitch. 10) It shall not be quenched night or day; Its smoke shall ascend forever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; No one shall pass through it forever and ever.” – and this is talking about TURKEY! Turkey, one of the Islamic nations! A Sunni nation, who horribly betrays the nation of Israel as they try to escape in the future. Turkey will be punished by God by complete destruction! This is one of the prophecies concerning the Day of the Lord!

Chapter 61, Verse 2 – now, this is interesting, these are some of the same Words spoken of by Jesus Christ! And He actually quoted verse 1 and stopped before following up with verse 2. “To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, …” – He did mention that but then stopped. “…’ And THE DAY OF VENGEANCE OF OUR GOD; …” – now, the ‘acceptable year of the LORD’ is the establishment of the Millennium, of the Kingdom of God. But before that will come ‘the day of vengeance of our God.’ So, He was selective in what He had quoted when He stood up that day in the temple.

Jeremiah 12, Verse 3 – “But You, O LORD, know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, And prepare them for THE DAY OF SLAUGHTER.” – once again we hear the Day of the Lord.

Chapter 16, Verse 18 – “’ And first I will repay double for their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable and abominable idols.’”

Chapter 17, Verse 17 – “Do not be a terror to me; You are my hope in the DAY OF DOOM.” – and that’s what all of us should think!

If the return of Jesus Christ is a decade away or less (10-years) there’s a good chance a lot of us will be here when it happens! The only thing that will protect you – in that time of trouble – will be you having a close connection with the living Jesus Christ. And that’s what he’s saying here. Verse 18 – “Let them be ashamed who persecute me, But do not let me be put to shame; Let them be dismayed, But do not let me be dismayed. Bring on them the DAY OF DOOM, And destroy them with double destruction!” – so, Jeremiah, he had troubles with people trying to cause him a hard time. That was his prayer for them.

Chapter 46, Verse 10 – “’ For this is THE DAY OF THE LORD GOD of hosts, A day of vengeance, That He may avenge Himself on His adversaries. The sword shall devour; It shall be satiated and made drunk with their blood; For the Lord GOD of hosts has a sacrifice In the north country by the River Euphrates.’” – that sounds like it could be IRAQ. Remember, in the end-time, the Arab and Islamic nations will, basically, be decimated by the hand and the direction of Jesus Christ! He is probably determined that their religion is so apart from the true religion – and the people who get sucked into that religion – their minds become so hardened, that when He returns He’s not going to waste a bunch of time trying to convert them, He’s just going to have them eliminated! And then, in the “Great White Throne Judgment,” a thousand years later, He will bring them back to life and the earth will have lived under the rulership of Jesus Christ for a thousand years – and then He will attempt to change those hearts and minds. But, at the end of their life, if they do not change – after being told the truth of God and having it made clear to them – then they will face the lake of fire – the final death.

Chapter 51, Verse 2 – “’ And I will send winnowers [winds] to Babylon [think IRAQ, think Bagdad], Who shall winnow [blow] her and empty her land. For in THE DAY OF DOOM They shall be against her all around.’” – think of the Islamic world.

Lamentations 1:3 – “Judah has gone into captivity, Under affliction and hard servitude; She dwells among the nations, She finds no rest; All her persecutors overtake her in dire straits.” – now, this did take place in 605 B.C.! THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN! So, many prophecies are dual – they have an earlier fulfillment, and they have a much larger, more significant fulfillment in the latter days! And this will be one of those latter days fulfillment.

Verse 12 – “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the LORD has inflicted In THE DAY OF HIS FIERCE ANGER.” – the Day of the Lord!

Chapter 2, Verse 1 – “How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion With a cloud in His anger! He cast down from heaven to the earth The beauty of Israel, And did not remember His footstool IN THE DAY OF HIS ANGER.” – ‘In the day of His anger’ is the Day of the Lord! Verse 5 – “The Lord was like an enemy. He has swallowed up ISRAEL, … And has increased mourning and lamentation In the daughter of Judah.” Verse 21 – “’ Young and old lie On the ground in the streets; My virgins and my young men Have fallen by the sword; You have slain them in THE DAY OF YOUR ANGER, You have slaughtered and not pitied.’” – now, ‘Pray Not For This People’ is indeed a Message from the Bible.

Also, Ezekiel 7:19 – “’They will throw their silver into the streets, And their gold will be like refuse; Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them IN THE DAY OF THE WRATH OF THE LORD; They will not satisfy their souls, Nor fill their stomachs, Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.’”

Chapter 13, Verse 5 – “’ You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle ON THE DAY OF THE LORD.’” – again, a direct reference to the Day of the Lord.

Chapter 30, Verse 3 – “’ For the day is near, Even the DAY OF THE LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles.’” – because for a time the Gentiles will have seem to have taken over ISRAEL and JUDAH. But it doesn’t last very long.

Hosea 5:9 – “’ Ephraim [think the United Kingdom] shall be desolate in THE DAY OF REBUKE; Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure.’”

Joel – the Book of Joel – is a very definitive chapter that links the concept of the Day of the Lord and the Day of Atonement. Joel is one of the so-called “minor” prophets, and there are 12 so-called “minor” prophets. Now, they’re “minor” because they are relatively short but their Message is not minor. Nine of the twelve “minor” prophets deal with some degree or another with the Day of the Lord. And here in the Book of Joel, it’s very frank – the connection with the Day of Atonement and the Day of the Lord.

Joel 1: beginning with verses 1, 4 – “’ What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; What the swarming locust left; the crawling locust has eaten; And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.’” – in other words, He’s talking about an insect infestation that’s basically denuded the landscape. Verses 5-6 – “’ Awake, you drunkards, and weep; And wail, all you drinkers of wine, Because of the new wine, For it has been cut off from your mouth. 6) For a nation has come up against My land, …’” – and these, again, are Gentile armies. “…’ Strong, and without number; His teeth are the teeth of a lion, And he has the fangs of a fierce lion.’” Verse 7 – “’ He has laid waste My vine [the people of Israel and Judah], And ruined My fig tree; He has stripped it bare and thrown it away; Its branches are made white. 8) Lament …’” Verses 9-13, 14 – “’ Consecrate a fast [very symbolic of the Day of Atonement] …’” Verse 15 – “’ Alas for the day! For THE DAY OF THE LORD is at hand; [again, a direct reference to the Day of the Lord!] It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.’” Verses 16-18, 19 – “O LORD, to You I cry out; For fire [again, fire in reference to the Day of the Lord] has devoured the open pastures, And a flame has burned all the trees of the field.’”

Chapter 2, Verse 1 – “’ Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING, …’” – once again, the Day of the Lord! There’s no fogginess about what this is talking about! Verse 2 – “’A day of darkness and gloominess. A day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong [again, Gentile armies; the invading armies], The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them, Even for many successive generations. 3) A fire devours before them, And behind them a flame burns; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness; Surely nothing shall escape them. 4) Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like swift steeds, so they run. 5) With a noise like chariots Over mountaintops, they leap, Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, Like a strong people set in battle array. 6) Before them [speaking of the ARMY OF GOD – and most likely, the resurrected saints of God coming to the rescue of the people of Israel and Judah –] the people writhe in pain; All faces are drained of color [the Gentile armies and most likely the Arab and Islamic armies which they are taking on].

7) They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation. And they do not break ranks.” – I know of a psalm that the Worldwide Church of God uses to sing - a song written by Dwight Armstrong – "Blow The Horn, Let Zion Hear!", which takes this section of the Bible and made a psalm. And the psalm is set to, sort-of, an upbeat tempo, and the people would sing it like, “O’ isn’t this a joyous thing!?” They didn’t have a clue about what they were singing! This is not a time of joy or happiness, this is a part of THE DAY OF THE LORD! When millions and millions of people are going to be destroyed! Verse 8 – again, this same ARMY OF GOD – “’ They do not push one another; Every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between weapons, They are not cut down.’” – again, these are not human beings they’re spirit beings. Verse 9 “’ They run to and fro in the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter at the windows like a thief.’”

Now we’re back to the Day of the Lord – Verse 10 – “’ The earth quakes before them, The heavens tremble; The Sun and Moon grow dark, And the stars diminish their brightness. 11) The LORD gives voice before His army, …’” – and we were just reading about His army (verses 6-9). “…’ For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His Word. For THE DAY OF THE LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?’”

Verse 12 – He changes tenses here, talking about AFTER the Day of the Lord – “’ Now, therefore,’ says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting [again, a reference to the Day of Atonement], with weeping, and with mourning.’” – Verses 13 – this is talking about a time following the Day of the Lord where God Almighty and Jesus Christ start to reach out to the children of Israel and the children of Judah – showing them that now they’re going to be protected. They’ve been punished, now they’re going to be taken care of. Verses 14-17.

Now Verses 18-29 – are talking about the Millennium.

Beginning with Verse 30, this goes back to the vengeful part of the Day of the Lord. “’ And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth; Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31) The Sun shall be turned into darkness, And the Moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome DAY OF THE LORD.’” – so we know that there will be many frightening signs at the time of the Day of the Lord.

Chapter 3, Verse 1 – “’ For behold, in those days, and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, …’” – this is during the Day of the Lord! Where the people are being punished. Verses 2-8.

Verses 9-14 gets back into warfare.

So, here we see, not just here, but many portions of this Book are talking about the Day of the Lord and the warfare and the blood shedding. And it also several times links it with ‘call a fast.’ So again, the Day of the Lord – prophetically linked with the Day of Atonement.

Amos 5:18; remember Jonah. Jonah wanted to see death and destruction. It was Nineveh’s ‘day of the Lord.’ But they repented. And God changed His mind. And Jonah was just all broken up. Verse 20.

Obadiah 15; that once again – throughout the Bible – this principle that God talks about: It will be recompensed unto you, the way you deserve it. And those who deserve to be punished will be punished. And those that deserve to die will die. And those who deserve to be saved will be saved.

Zephaniah 1:7-9; again, evil people will be rewarded. Verses 14-18. Zephaniah 2:1.

Zechariah 14:1-4.

Malachi 4:1, 3, 5.

So, again, with these notes – of what I’ve tried to do – is to show you just a few of places in the Bible which talks about the Day of the Lord. The single most prophesied event in the Bible.

I wanted to record this truth – a truth which has not been spoken about. And, you might say, “Well, it’s no big thing.” However, it’s the most traumatic, awesome thing which will occur in the history of the Earth. This is a very big deal. And, what really makes it important, if the return of Jesus Christ is within the next 8-10 years, many, if not most of you who read this, will experience this. You will either experience this – while being protected by Jesus Christ, or, you’ll be experiencing it by being in the middle of it – without God’s protection! So I pray that each and every one of you turns to Jesus Christ, and ask that He grant you His Spirit, that He grant you His Truth, His knowledge, the understanding of His Plan, and I ask that you pray that He protect you through all of these horrible things.